Complaints Handling Policy

1. We will record your complaint centrally and send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within 5 working days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure (if not already supplied.)
2. Our Complaints Partner will then investigate your complaint. This will usually involve reviewing your complaint, reviewing your file(s) and other relevant and related documents, and speak to the person (s) who dealt with your matter. We may also contact you for further details if necessary. We will update you on the progress of your complaint at appropriate times.
3. The Complaints Partner will then send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including their suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 working days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
4. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for another Partner, to review the decision.
5. The reviewing Partner will write to you within 14 working days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
6. If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman about your complaint. Normally, you will need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman (www.legalombudsman.org.uk) within 6 months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint or within 6 years of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring (or if outside of this period, within 3 years of when you should reasonably have been aware of it).

For further information, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk.

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806
Wolverhampton
WV1 9WJ

Alternative complaints bodies exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should both you and our Practice wish to use such a service. We have, however, chosen not to adapt such an alternative dispute resolution process. Therefore, if you wish to complain further, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman.

7. We will not charge you for handling your complaint.
8. Please note that if we have issued a bill for work done on the matter, and all or some of the bill is not paid, we may be entitled to charge interest on the amount outstanding.
9. The Legal Ombudsman service is free of charge.
10. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) can help you if you are concerned about our behaviour or conduct. This is to do with things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, disability or other characteristics. If you are a small business or consumer you can raise your concerns with the SRA directly via their website www.sra.org.uk.